1606 - Virginia Company established in London

The crest of the Sir Walter Raleigh's Virginia Company

Sir Walter Raleigh's new trading
company was drawn up along the same lines as the East Indian
Company, and would operate in the new world at the pleasure of the
king, who granted a royal charter for the new company on April 10,
1606.

The company's
charter drew a line through the middle of the north American
continent and established north and south Virginias, the former
including what is today New York and New England, the latter
comprised of everything south of the Potomac river at the had of
Chesapeake Bay.

The sanction of
the company's royal title to land in the new world was based on the
notion that the English had superior rights in America. This
assertion was based on nothing more than say-so. A debate
arose behind closed doors as to whether this would be enough to
fight off a challenge from the pope. The faction that argued
'there is much confession in every unnecessary apologia,'
prevailed, and the matter was dropped. The conquest of the
Americas and her inhabitants would prove England's superior right
soon enough.